Be prepared to weather the next storm

David WeintraubECO

Published: Wednesday, December 19, 2012 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, December 18, 2012 at 12:42 p.m.

Much of my family was in the path of Superstorm Sandy this past Halloween. Despite the dismal predictions, few in the Northeast expected the storm’s fury or the extent of destruction that would be left in its wake.

My elderly parents lost power for half a week, and my sister had no power, no heat or access to gas for two weeks. Other family members had storm surge bringing the ocean into their homes above window level, resulting in a total loss of their homes and possessions.

Even those who faced no permanent damage to their possessions and their lives were totally devastated from the vulnerability that the storm exposed. Basic things like filling your tank with gas took three to five hours every day since even gas stations that had gas had no power to pump it out.

We tend to go about our lives with certain expectations: When we turn up the thermostat, heat comes out. When we drive to the gas station, the petroleum flows into our gas tank. When we drive to the store, the shelves are full.

We rarely consider where our creature comforts come from to feed our belly or keep us warm — until they are no longer there. In WNC, the twin wraths of hurricanes Frances and Ivan in 2004 woke up many to how vulnerable we are to massive flooding, landslides, and food and gas hoarding during hurricane season. More recently, Hurricane Ike in the Gulf shut off the gas spigot for nearly a week, and thousands in WNC wondered how they’d get to work and where they would find food.

There has been a disturbing trend of growing volatility in weather patterns around the world and in the U.S. A majority of the nation suffered from a massive drought, others from torrential rains and ferocious storms. All of us have suffered with greater unpredictability. Our climate is changing, and only those who still live in the “land of denial” can dispute this clear fact of life.

We are also vulnerable as a society in many other ways. Our nation has an aging electric grid and an ever-increasing number of electronic devices that control our lives. What many consider an asset, apps for everything we do, has created a dependency that makes us more vulnerable in the future since storms, economic uncertainty and the depletion of “cheap oil” will directly impact the availability of the electric power we take for granted.

In an increasingly nonresilient world, its more important than ever that we be prepared for contingencies. This means not only having an emergency plan at the ready, but it means talking with friends, neighbors and family on how we might weather any future storms, in whatever form they take.

It also means that we seriously evaluate our own personal contributions to climate change. Are there ways we can cut our energy use, buy more goods locally, or decide not to buy at all? Have we created redundancies in our lives to help us overcome any future obstacles that might impact our ability to getting heat, food and water? Here are some things to consider:

u Food availability: One of the first things to run out during threat of an emergency is food. Grocery stores tend to have only a few days of food on hand. Are you connected to a community garden, or do you grow your own food? Canning your veggies during the season will offer a cheap, healthy backup supply during the winter months. Do you have dried and canned goods on hand to last for two to four weeks, as emergency managers suggest?

u Heat: Many assume, given recent news reports, that fracking will provide us with all the gas we’ll need for some time to come. Don’t count on it. Many recent reports suggest that the shale gas supply is greatly overblown and that cheap natural gas could vanish quickly. In the event of temporary loss of heat, consider an alternative heat supply such as wood-burning stoves, high-efficiency fireplaces or even kerosene heaters.

u Power and water: We live in an ice storm-vulnerable area that tends to affect our power. What’s your backup plan? Backup generators are important to have before a storm occurs. Small-scale solar can also provide a green source of backup power. Make sure you have on hand old-fashioned telephones that don’t need electricity, and hand-cranked radios and flashlights so that if power should fail you will be ready. Those who are dependent on well water also need power in order to pump it. Having water supplies on hand or access to a water ram if you live near a stream can make a big difference in being prepared.

Ultimately establishing plans with neighbors and close-by friends or family on ride-sharing, food-sharing and resource-sharing in the event of a temporary weather or economic event will serve you very well in the future.

Our world is changing, and as a community we need to change along with it. ECO can help you cut your energy footprint to your home or business, enabling you to be proactive rather than reactive. To learn more about the ECO’s green energy and sustainability work, contact us at 692-0385 or eco-wnc.org.

<p>Much of my family was in the path of Superstorm Sandy this past Halloween. Despite the dismal predictions, few in the Northeast expected the storm's fury or the extent of destruction that would be left in its wake.</p><p>My elderly parents lost power for half a week, and my sister had no power, no heat or access to gas for two weeks. Other family members had storm surge bringing the ocean into their homes above window level, resulting in a total loss of their homes and possessions.</p><p>Even those who faced no permanent damage to their possessions and their lives were totally devastated from the vulnerability that the storm exposed. Basic things like filling your tank with gas took three to five hours every day since even gas stations that had gas had no power to pump it out.</p><p>We tend to go about our lives with certain expectations: When we turn up the thermostat, heat comes out. When we drive to the gas station, the petroleum flows into our gas tank. When we drive to the store, the shelves are full.</p><p>We rarely consider where our creature comforts come from to feed our belly or keep us warm — until they are no longer there. In WNC, the twin wraths of hurricanes Frances and Ivan in 2004 woke up many to how vulnerable we are to massive flooding, landslides, and food and gas hoarding during hurricane season. More recently, Hurricane Ike in the Gulf shut off the gas spigot for nearly a week, and thousands in WNC wondered how they'd get to work and where they would find food.</p><p>There has been a disturbing trend of growing volatility in weather patterns around the world and in the U.S. A majority of the nation suffered from a massive drought, others from torrential rains and ferocious storms. All of us have suffered with greater unpredictability. Our climate is changing, and only those who still live in the “land of denial” can dispute this clear fact of life.</p><p>We are also vulnerable as a society in many other ways. Our nation has an aging electric grid and an ever-increasing number of electronic devices that control our lives. What many consider an asset, apps for everything we do, has created a dependency that makes us more vulnerable in the future since storms, economic uncertainty and the depletion of “cheap oil” will directly impact the availability of the electric power we take for granted.</p><p>In an increasingly nonresilient world, its more important than ever that we be prepared for contingencies. This means not only having an emergency plan at the ready, but it means talking with friends, neighbors and family on how we might weather any future storms, in whatever form they take.</p><p>It also means that we seriously evaluate our own personal contributions to climate change. Are there ways we can cut our energy use, buy more goods locally, or decide not to buy at all? Have we created redundancies in our lives to help us overcome any future obstacles that might impact our ability to getting heat, food and water? Here are some things to consider:</p><p>u Food availability: One of the first things to run out during threat of an emergency is food. Grocery stores tend to have only a few days of food on hand. Are you connected to a community garden, or do you grow your own food? Canning your veggies during the season will offer a cheap, healthy backup supply during the winter months. Do you have dried and canned goods on hand to last for two to four weeks, as emergency managers suggest?</p><p>u Heat: Many assume, given recent news reports, that fracking will provide us with all the gas we'll need for some time to come. Don't count on it. Many recent reports suggest that the shale gas supply is greatly overblown and that cheap natural gas could vanish quickly. In the event of temporary loss of heat, consider an alternative heat supply such as wood-burning stoves, high-efficiency fireplaces or even kerosene heaters.</p><p>u Power and water: We live in an ice storm-vulnerable area that tends to affect our power. What's your backup plan? Backup generators are important to have before a storm occurs. Small-scale solar can also provide a green source of backup power. Make sure you have on hand old-fashioned telephones that don't need electricity, and hand-cranked radios and flashlights so that if power should fail you will be ready. Those who are dependent on well water also need power in order to pump it. Having water supplies on hand or access to a water ram if you live near a stream can make a big difference in being prepared.</p><p>Ultimately establishing plans with neighbors and close-by friends or family on ride-sharing, food-sharing and resource-sharing in the event of a temporary weather or economic event will serve you very well in the future.</p><p>Our world is changing, and as a community we need to change along with it. ECO can help you cut your energy footprint to your home or business, enabling you to be proactive rather than reactive. To learn more about the ECO's green energy and sustainability work, contact us at 692-0385 or eco-wnc.org.</p>